I’m luxuriating at home this Monday, enjoying Canadian Thanksgiving and the long-weekend it grants me. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about you, gentle Pathfinders, or the Paizo blog. No, modern technology means I can post this and sleep in. Truly we live in a Golden Age.

With last week’s release of The Silverhex Chronicles Quests, Monday saw John Compton reminding us all about the Open Call for quest submissions. If you’ve ever wanted to write for Paizo, this is one way to get yourself in the door. And even if your quest isn’t accepted you’ll get some valuable feedback to make your next submission better.

On Tuesday Tanis gave us a look at her first-hand experience with the PACG, as they took a field trip to Uncle’s Games. I’m always interested in how designers and developers interact with their games ‘in the wild’. And I have to admit, the possibility that I might end up playing across from Paizo staffers some random game night is a big incentive to move to the Seattle area. If only they had better weather.

Another Wednesday, another new Pathfinder Tales! This week saw the first installment in Dylan Birtolo’s A Knightly Mission. Pretty standard story: girl hunts elk, girl is attacked by wolves, girl finds body…okay, so not standard at all. And I’m happy to see a story set in the Fangwood, an area in which I’ve long wanted to set a campaign. (You may have noticed, there are many areas of Golarion I want to set a campaign. I’m a GM, it’s an occupational hazard.)

On Thursday we got a sneak peak at Ships of the Inner Sea, which I know will be of interest to a certain Pirate Queen in our VO ranks. This looks like a gorgeous book, and while it will be of particular use to GMs running the Skull & Shackles AP I think other GMs will get just as much use from it. Who knows when your party might travel by sea; why not make the trip more interesting? By interesting, of course, I mean ‘sphincter-clenching terrifying’…

Friday, Erik Mona gave us another miniatures update while he was taking in the New York City Comic-con. More Iconics (Seelah and Sajan), an updated snow leopard animal companion, and a picture of the NECA display at NYCC made this a miniature-lover’s post. I could have wished the sweet white dragon figure could have been more in-frame, but hey, it’s not like I’m not getting it.

And that’s another week summed up. Anything you liked or disliked on the Paizo Blog this week? Talk to us about it in the comments below.

People talk about it all the time, technology at the gaming table. Some GM’s allow tech, others allow some tech, others none at all. Some players are fans, others not so much. There is a time and place for tech at the table; used well, it can enrich the game experience for players and GMs. There are a variety of apps and computer programs to help run your RPG’s more effectively, for both iOS and Android systems. Below, we’ll look at a few of our favorites.

Tech Etiquette:

It is always nice to be mindful of the tech you are using at the gaming table. I have found that laptops tend to cause bad Tech Etiquette. Typically they create barriers between players and GM’s much in the same way a GM screen does and I have found they often serve as distractions from the game at hand. Tablets, on the other hand, can be laid flat on the table and encourages engagement from everyone. Tablets have also become much more economical in recent years, so price is not the barrier it once was. Please be mindful of others if you are utilizing these tools as there are many people who have serious issues with Technology at the gaming table.

PC Based Programs:

There are a couple programs I sometimes use on my computer to help me prepare for gamedays. Each have their pro’s and cons.

Pro’s: Makes generating a character quickly easy. Search features make traits, feats and items easier to find.

Con’s: Frequently has bugs and miscalculates abilities for a character for newer sources, but they do tend to get fixed once pointed out. Herolab can also be extremely pricey for someone purchasing it and trying to get the content they own. I have also found that for beginners it makes their knowledge of system mastery less as they don’t know where all of their bonuses are coming from or how to properly calculate them. The last issue I have found with Herolab is oftentimes, in PFS, people think that owning the data packs counts as owning the material which is not the case.

Con’s: I found implementing the data files for different sources a pain to do. Overall the program requires a higher level of technical understanding to get to work properly. Data files can also contain bugs as they seem to be mostly fan made.I also found the program to have very buggy graphical errors to the point of not being able to use it.

PosteRazor: This is a great utility for extracting and printing maps. It allows you to take a map pdf and split it into several sheets of paper that can then be combined into 1 large map. It does take a bit of practice to get the dimensions right. But if you want nice looking custom maps and don’t have a printer that can print large size maps, this is the program for you.

For the Android Operating System I have found the following apps to be both helpful and useful.

Cloud Storage is a great tool for keeping all your documents in sync, if you have an internet connection. There are several apps out there that will store your PDF’s locally on your phone or tablet. I personally use an app called DropSync to keep them all up to date in case I don’t have an internet connection.

Amazon App Store:

You might be thinking, huh? Well, some people are not aware of this but this is a separate app store that has mostly the same apps as the Google Play store. With 1 key difference: every day they have a paid app for free. Sometimes the app is a cheap game and other times it is an office suite app, or other great utility. If you get the app on that day it is as if you had paid for it, and you can keep it forever. I have switched devices over the years and have always been able to download and re-install the apps I have acquired.

PDF Viewing Applications:

There are tons of free ones out there. I am going to take the time to point out some of the paid ones I have gotten from the aforementioned Amazon App Store. Sadly for Android it seems that having multiple PDF’s open in the same app isn’t possible, but if you have several different programs you can easily switch between them. Office Suite 7 Pro, QuickOffice Pro, Polaris Office and Documents to go are all solid choices.

Both of these apps are basically the same but with 1 difference. They allow you to import a character from their respective program and view it on a tablet. The author has even added dice rollers. I linked the paid versions of both because honestly they are inexpensive and I believe in supporting the authors of these apps. There is a free version of both, but the paid versions are inexpensive and it is always nice to support the author.

For the iOS Operating System there are a variety of tool that can keep your game flowing online and offline.

By saving all of your PDFs and other reference materials in cloud storage, you can have quick and easy access to them whenever you have internet access. This is great for running scenarios on the fly, or when you need Ultimate Magic as a table reference but forgot it on the table at home. I keep all of my Paizo products in Dropbox, so I can quickly download them in a pinch.

PDF Viewing Applications:

The iOS comes with iBooks for free, if you wish to store your PDFs locally. It’s a fairly quick and robust program which allows you to store the files in different libraries (Scenarios, Modules, Rulebooks, etc), double tap a column to fit the width of your device, and render new pages fairly quickly. The program can have some issues with larger PDF files, so the “lite” and chapter separated PDFs Paizo offers are valuable.

If you want a bit more power, you can invest in a 3rd party program like GoodReader. It has all the same capabilities as iBooks, but with a few more features and enhancements for only a few dollars. You can open multiple files, gain easier access to bookmarks and the table of contents, search for specific words, and the software pre-renders the next page for faster load speeds. It also deals with those larger PDF files much better than iBooks (Inner Sea World Guide, I’m looking at you).

Paizo.com

If you want to download and use files directly from Paizo, you’re going to need to use Safari. Other browsers won’t (as of this writing) know how to deal with the zip files that Paizo gives you from the Downloads page. By default, the iOS will know it’s a zip file, but has no way of opening it. For this, I recommend iZip, but you can use any program you wish. From there, just copy the file into iBooks or GoodReader and you’re ready to play!

This little program will download the entire PRD into your iOS device so you can do a quick search without an internet connection. The searches are by category, which makes them faster and easier to find just the right thing. You can create bookmarks of your most commonly used items for quick and easy reference. The best part is the hyperlinks embedded in the documents, like monster special abilities. This gives super fast access to see what exactly that feat, monster ability, or spell-like ability does. The author charges a very small amount for each source book.

Similar to the program above, this handy program allows you to open multiple items in different tabs. The database is also downloaded here, so once you’ve got the program you don’t need to use your valuable data plan. The aesthetic is a little different, so you may prefer one over the other. This author charges once for the entire package and includes updates for free.

I don’t know about where you live, but around here it’s getting cooler and wetter. Never a great combination, but a perfect excuse to curl up with a mug of something hot and read the Paizo blog. Feel free to curl up with a mug of something ice cold, as required.

Big news for fans of the The Silverhex Chronicles Quests on Monday: they have been released for to the public for free! Now every GM has a series of short adventures at his or her fingertips, to entice new players into our hobby. And they’re a good little series of scenarios, perfect as an introduction to Pathfinder and Organized Play. A big thank-you to the authors, Josh Foster, Scott Sharplin, and Walter Sheppard.

Tuesday brought us a look at some of the villains for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, including the OSS (Obligatory Shark Section). I’m hoping to try the game out this week, but maybe without encountering the owlbeartross? Probably a good plan.

On Wednesday we got a first look at an NPC making the leap from Pathfinder Tales novel to Adventure Path. Fans of Tim Pratt’s City of the Fallen Sky and Reign of Stars will be pleased to know that Technic League Captain Zernabeth will make an appearance in Pathfinder Adventure Path #89: Palace of Fallen Stars. I’m both pleased and suitably worried, as I recently began playing through the Iron Gods AP. My brawler might be in for ‘interesting times’.

Mark Moreland stopped by on Thursday to talk about his troubled history and love of the Paizo blog. Plus he dropped off a bunch of previews, art, and screen savers. Mmmm, screen savers…

Even better than screen savers, Eirk Mona gave us our first look on Friday at the paint masters for the upcoming Iconic Heroes Set #1. If Wizkids actually delivers on the quality of these masters, this set of iconic figures promises to be the most detailed and dynamic yet. I’m only sad they don’t drop until January, I’d love to find these in my stocking.

That’s the blog this week, gentle Pathfinders. Let me know what you think of the Quests; if you you’ve had a chance to look them over, drop a comment below.

Since I shared my recipe for Qadiran Cockatrice, I’ve received a few messages asking for more ideas for healthy gaming food. It seems there are more than a few of you who want quick, easy alternatives to Doritos with a side of Mountain Dew. Since I’m still plugging away at the Venture Officer’s Kurgess’ Challenge, I’m happy to oblige.

So I thought I’d share a quick and easy recipe my group enjoys, and one that I love making on busy days because it takes just a few minutes to throw together. Then the slow cooker takes over and does the heavy lifting. If you don’t have a slow-cooker you can do it in a large pot on the stove, just keep the heat low and stir often so it doesn’t char at the bottom. Also, if you aren’t a fan of an ingredient I’ve listed it’s pretty easy to substitute something else to taste. Experiment!

Preparation: Dice your onion; don’t worry about making the dice particularly small, the slow cooker will reduce the onion quite a bit. Add all the ingredients except the baby spinach to your slow cooker, stirring them together to blend them. Then add the bag of baby spinach, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover, and start the slow cooker. Don’t worry that the spinach seems overflowing, it will reduce a lot during cooking. I use the 6-hour setting on mine, but you can set it for whatever time works best for you. Optional: If you are adding ground meat, brown the meat in a pan just enough to give it color, then add to slow-cooker along with other ingredients. One of my guys is vegetarian, so I wait until the slow-cooker is almost done and brown the ground beef in a separate pan for the rest of the guys to add on the side.

Serves five voracious gamers, with seconds, and I usually have enough left for lunch the next day. You can top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream or handful of shredded cheddar cheese if you like.

There you go! Healthy, easy to make, delicious, and a nice break from the usual fast-food gamer fare. Give it a try at your next session.

What does your group do about meals at game time? Do you have favorite gaming foods or recipes? Let us know in the comments!

Welcome, Pathfinders! Sorry this is going up late; con crud claimed another victim Monday. The important thing is, we’re both here and feeling better. Let’s begin!

Monday saw the long-awaited announcement of the first of the post-Gen Con scenarios, due out…today! #6-04 takes high-level characters for another Osirian romp (did you read Lady Olivia’s post on Osiria, by the way?), while #6-05 revisits a theme from the beginning of Organized Play. And if you were one of the players afraid this season would become ‘Robot of the Month’, there’s not a beeping piece of technology in site as far as the descriptions go. Who knows what awaits inside the scenarios, of course…

Looks like Tuesdays on the blog are going to be all about the Pathfinder Adventure Card Guild, for those of you seeking a regular update on our newest Organized Play cousin. Tanis O’Conner gave us a sneak peak at a new card, as well as a bit of a look at how sharks are going to figure in the first few scenarios. I haven’t had a chance to play the card game yet, but I’m looking forward to trying out the Guild to get a taste.

Wednesday saw the satisfying final chapter in Stephanie Lorée’s Armored, and if you’ve been waiting for it before reading, get going. I keep hoping some enterprising Pathfinder will turn some of these stories into short films on YouTube, and if it happens I hope Armored is one of the first. Great characters, a story touching and thrilling at the same time, with plenty of action for those who like their fantasy a bit bloody.

I have been on the hunt for a nerdy pair of mittens, to go with my Fourth Doctor scarf and my Firefly knit hat. Thursday‘s post delivered, with a picture and pattern for a pair of Iron God’s themed mitts to keep out the cold. Now, I just have to find a skilled crafter to make me a pair.

Since he was out sick last week, Erik Mona brought us double the amount of Pathfinder Battles previews on Friday. All the sculpts presented are good utility minis, but I’m particularly happy to see the boggards. Especially the leaping boggard, which I think is going to get a lot of comments at the table.

Okay, better late than never. I promise we’ll be back again on Monday this time, and I may even throw in an extra post over the weekend as penance. Until then, may your dice roll true, Pathfinders!

A Chronicle of the Pathfinder Society’s exploits during the adventuring season from the First of Arodus in the year 4712 (by Absalom Reckoning), through the Thirtieth of Erastus, 4713 A.R., prepared by Chronicler Thaddeus Lamplighter, Pathfinder.

[This is a player-friendly, spoiler-free summary of the events which occurred during Season Four, the so-called “Year of the Waking Rune”. ]

The ancient empire of Thassilon once stretched across much of western Avistan, encompassing the area of modern-day Varisia as well as land which is now below the surface of the ocean. When the first Thassilonian Emperor, Xin, died, the empire fractured into seven warring nations, each led by a mage of unsurpassed power, specialized in one of the seven schools of Thassilonian rune magic. This conflict weakened Thassilon enough that when Earthfall occurred, the empire was essentially destroyed. Yet the Runelords foresaw the coming disaster and hide themselves away in specially-prepared strongholds, asleep and undying, to wait out the holocaust and return to power later.

In 4707 A.R., the Runelord Karzoug managed to influence enough of the surface creatures in Varisia to begin the slow process of awakening, and it is was only at great cost that he was defeated once and for all. Since that time, the slumber of the other six Runelords has been a worry on the minds of the wise.

When our Society’s rivals, the Aspis Consortium, became interested in a newly-discovered Thassilonian relic called the Runecarved Key, the Ten took notice. This ancient artifact’s powers and purpose were unknown, but certainly it could not be allowed to fall into the hands of those amoral criminals. Venture-Captains Sheila and Canayven Heidmarch were tasked by the Decemvirate to acquire the Runecarved Key in the summer of 4712 A.R.

At the same time and after a shaky start, the Society was making inroads with the globe-spanning Blakros family. Michellia Blakros had chosen the Eagle Knight Colson Maldris as a husband, but he had refused. Due to Maldris’ close connections with the Society, the Decemvirate felt some damage control was necessary, and so the Society invited the Blakros family to the Grand Convocation of 4712 A.R. At this event, several suitors made themselves known, and Society members worked to make inroads with them. During the proceedings the Blakros’ old foes, the Onyx Alliance, attacked and attempted to carry off Michellia as payment on a old debt. The Society repelled the attack, and relations with the Blakros family were repaired.

With the Runecarved Key in our possession and a strong alliance with the Blakros family in hand, Pathfinders were sent across Golarion to learn what they could about the threat of the Runelords. For obvious reasons, most of the effort was focused in Varisia, based in the Heidmarch’s new Lodge in Magnimar. Some operatives assisted in setting up the new Magnimar Lodge, while other teams explored ancient Thassilonian ruins and opposed Aspis Consortium agents attempting to do the same. Society operatives sought out sources of esoteric knowledge in the walled city of Kaer Maga, and cleared the Storval Stairs as a safe passage to the uplands of Varisia.

Throughout the year, it became clear that the Aspis Consortium had allied with a wide-spread but secretive cult who venerated an ancient Thassilonian rune goddess. Infiltrating this cult revealed the astonishing fact that the cult wished to revive one of the sleeping Runelords. It is possible this goal was unknown even to the Aspis Consortium, as the disruption caused by an awakened Runelord would be good for no one currently alive in Varisia or beyond.

This string of unhappy news was illuminated by a single bright point: the marriage of Michellia Blakros to Damien Kastner, a former Hellknight and ally of the Society. Members of the Society were in attendance as guests of honor, and so were able to repel the second attack on Michellia’s life which occurred at the wedding. (Many Pathfinders have declared their intention to avoid social events at which the Blakros family may be present, simply as a matter of self-preservation!)

As the Society’s operations have changed, so too have the various erstwhile allies and factions interested in keeping tabs on its affairs. One well-known Chelaxian ally of the Society was undermined by a political rival, one who turned out to be a part of a much larger plot which would not see fruition for many months. At the same time, several groups found their goals had either been accomplished or pursuit of them was no longer in their interest. Amara Li, head of the Lantern Lodge, took many of her agents back to Tian Xia to create the Society’s regional headquarters in Goka. Continued cooperation between the Grand and Lantern Lodges is foreseen for many years.

The Society also faced the black stain of treachery from within, resulting in the outlawing of the so-called “Shadow Lodge”. While initially a group dedicated to upholding the rights of the individual field agent, the faction had become first a terrorist organization and then a group within the Society. Ultimately, it was no more than the personal plaything of its founder, Grandmaster Torch, who could not let his hatred for the Society’s leadership go. Torch fooled everyone when he brought his Shadow Lodge back into the fold, but he was only waiting for his moment to strike. He betrayed the Society and his own followers, who were left behind to swing for his crimes. Once again the Decemvirate showed their magnanimity and pardoned those Pathfinders who renounced Torch and wished to reconcile with the Society. Still, the issue has cast doubt onto the loyalty of Pathfinder agents, and an atmosphere of distrust has pervaded Society operations ever since.

Despite all of these travails, the Society managed to use the power of the Runecarved Key to break the back of the Cult of Lissala and drive the Aspis back to their holes. The Runelord’s awakening was prevented, though most of the people of Golarion do not know how close they came to disaster. Yet the threat is not destroyed, only delayed to future generations. No one knows when the next crazed cultist or evil organization may find the key to awaken elder evils once more. I can only hope the Society will still be there, collecting scraps of knowledge and lore to provide a solution once again to the perils we shall most certainly face.

Perhaps the most important find of the season, however, was not related to any of the major events of the year, and its story is yet to be played out. Excursions into the orcish lands of the Hold of Belkzen uncovered evidence regarding a lost Dwarven Sky Citadel, one of the great fortresses built by the Dwarves when the reached the surface in their Quest for Sky. Such a site would contain untold treasures and lost lore of an ancient time in Golarion’s history. The location of this Sky Citadel, however, would cause the Society great hardship in the coming year.

Lady Ophelia here, sharing with you my wisdom and knowledge about the many realms of Golarion, and how they affect you the Pathfinder who may be going into these lands! Our next country on the lineup is Osirion, known as the “Land of The Pharoahs”!

History and Geography:

The history of Osirion dates all the way back before the Earthfall. (When stuff fell from the sky and landed in modern day Numeria.) Pharaohs ruled as gods on earth, their hieroglyph-inscribed monuments towered over even Thassilon’s mightiest, and their armies could churn a kingdom to mud, blotting out the sun on wings of death.

It was the burgeoning Cult of the Dawnflower that inspired Qadira to invade and conquer a stagnant Osirion. Osirian independence ended following the assassination of the corrupt Pharaoh Menedes XXVI in 1532 AR, leading to the overthrow of the pharaonic dynasty, and the country was declared a satrapy of the Keleshite Empire. After three thousand years, Osirian independence was restored in 4609 AR, when the Keleshite sultan was overthrown and replaced by Prince Khemet I, whose ancestry dates back to the ancient pharaohs. Decades afterwards, it was revealed the church of Sarenrae had struck a deal with the first modern pharaoh a year in advance of his official assumption of power.

Now, Osirion ages from millennia of foreign rule under the leadership of the youthful Khemet III, who hearkens back to the ancient days of Osirion’s glory. In 4707, Khemet opened the vast deserts of Osirion – long closed by the Keleshite overlords who held the nation as a satrapy of Qadira – to foreign exploration.

Locations of Great Importance for the Society: (From the Society’s Library A.K.A The Pathfinder Wiki)

Sothis: The capital city of Sothis is located at the mouth of the River Sphinx, and is the largest, and most prosperous city in the kingdom of Osirion. The city is built around the molted husk of Ulunat, a colossal beetle that was one of the spawn of Rovagug. It was also the seat of ancient Osirion before the age of Keleshite rule.

Wati: Wati was the largest of the southern trio of cities until its population was ravaged by the Plague of Madness in 2499 AR, conjured and spread by the cult of Lamashtu, which took advantage of the religious conflict raging across Garund during this period. Wati was slowly abandoned by the surviving population. In 2953 AR the priesthood of Pharasma established a major temple and consecrated the city in the memory of the murdered dead, setting aside the abandoned sections of Wati in their honor. In the past thousand years the living section of the city has expanded and the abandoned part is now less than a fourth of its overall area. The abandoned sections of the town are largely inaccessible due to local stigma, though adventurers with the blessing of Pharasma’s clergy sometimes target the area.

Eto: The Osirian city of Eto sits at a central point on the trade routes between Thuvia, Shiman-Sekh, and Sothis and has seen its fortunes wax with the increase of foreign trade since Osirian independence. The town has become a launching pad for adventurers seeking the nation’s ancient treasures.

Ipeq: (pronounced ahy-PECK) is the largest city in southern Osirion, located along the banks of the Crook. According to legend, Ipeq was summoned into existence by the Pharaoh of Blades. The city’s history has been linked to the nation’s defense and the projection of pharaonic power and influence toward the south. Today, Ipeq houses the second-largest permanent garrison of Osirian troops, surpassed only by Sothis. In modern Osirion, invasion from Katapesh is of little concern, and the garrison and its large maritime force are mainly used to protect the trade across the border. They are, however, ready for rapid deployment anywhere along the length of the Sphinx and its tributaries.

Society Standing in Osirion:

The government of Osirion has formally gone on record to state that Pathfinders should be considered grave-robbers. So it has been our mission to be on a low profile in the realm. The Scarab Sages have labored for the last six years to repair that reputation and it has slowly been working. It helped that in 4712, we supported the government in getting rid of a high profile serial murderer in Sothis. (Said serial killer was also a mass murderer of Pathfinders, so it was in our best interests as well.) Still, in many places, Pathfinders are not always welcome. Such as Wati, the City of the Dead, where going into the tombs of the deceased is a big no-no. (Despite the fact there are many tombs that are underground dungeons.)

The Osirion/Scarab Sages Faction:

The faction has been under a rather interesting change recently. At the end of 4713, Amenopheus, the original leader of the Osirion faction, was dismissed from the court of the Ruby Prince. As a result he began looking deeper into the history of an organization known as the Scarab Sages. In the summer of 4714, Pathfinders traveled to Osirion and learned more about the organization. It was then the Pathfinder Society decided to align itself with The Scarab Sages instead of the nation of Osirion as a whole.

The Scarab Sages’ mission was very similar to the Osirion faction’s beliefs: to preserve history and obtain as much knowledge as possible. While the faction is restructuring it was agreed that Amenopheus would remain in the field, and Tahonikepsu, the Diamond Sage, would take point as the leader of the new organization.

Traveling to Osirion? Here are some tips to make your trip memorable!

Osirion is a desert. It’s hot. You need to accept this honest fact (and find ways to protect yourself) before you sign up for the assignment.

Do not break any local laws or customs while in Osirion. I repeat, DO NOT BREAK ANY LAWS OR CUSTOMS IN THE REALM OF Osirion. Like Qadira, Osirion is a very culturally sensitive area. A lot of the laws and customs of the realm lean heavily toward an “eye for an eye” form of justice. The Pathfinder Society does not have diplomatic immunity there, so it is rather hard for us to come and save you.

Items that will help while adventuring in Osirion: If you are heat sensitive, it’s essential you invest in hot weather gear. If you get some additional cash, invest in endure elements wands and scrolls. Additionally, lesser restoration, restoration, create food and drink, goodberry, and create water will be your friends while traveling. Don’t forget your water skins too!

Camels are more efficient than horses for longer stints of travel. However, horses are faster in the desert.

For a land that is a dry desert, the location is rife with monsters. While many attribute this to the belief that Rovagug could be still influencing the realm, much of it has to do with Lamashtu worshipers running rampant in the sands.

Well, that’s all for me this week! As you prepare for your next trip, I hope my advice will be helpful to you and your party. Be safe out there Pathfinders, and may Sarenrae’s light bless you and light your paths.

~Lady Ophelia~

Want to know more about Osirion via written lore? (Pathfinder books) Check out the following:

Inner Sea World Guide

Inner Sea Primer

Mummy’s Mask Adventure Path

Campaign Setting: Osirion: Legacy of The Pharaohs

Player Companion: People Of The Sands

Player Companion: Osirion: Land of Pharaohs

Want to Sponsor an Adventure in Osirion? (GM a game?) Choose These Society Titles:

Drow of the Darklands Pyramid

The Faithless Dead

The Rebel’s Ransom

Wrath of the Accursed

Destiny of The Sands Series: A Bitter Bargain, A Race To Seeker’s Folly, Sanctum of The Sages

Welcome, Pathfinders! I hope your weekend was full of gaming goodness, and your characters survived whatever the GMs threw at them. Let’s get to the Paizo Blog, shall we?

It seems The Year of the Sky Key has generated a lot of questions, so on Monday John Compton took time to answer some of them. If you’ve been struggling to make sense of how the new factions work or how to use the Advanced Class Guide, or if you just want some clarity, give it a read. PFS GMs should definitely be familiar with it, it may save you a lot of grief at the table.

Tuesday saw some pretty sweet art from the Mummy’s Mask Adventure Path, as they go through the AP to choose Community Use pieces. I hope everything they show makes it in, but in the meantime, enjoy the River of Souls desktop.

The third instalment of Stephanie Lorée’s Armored went up Wednesday, and again, I can’t say much without spoiling it. What I will say is, I didn’t see the end coming when I started reading it, and I’m even more intrigued to see what the final chapter will bring. I’m also interested in setting my next home game in that area; I’d love to use the Blackjackets in a game.

Thursday‘s post touched on an often overlooked region, the Hold of Belkzen. With all the other cool stuff happening in Paizo’s current adventure paths and modules, it can be easy to forget the simple coolness of orcs and other monstrous humanoids. This article is a great jumping-off point to find information on this brutal area of Golarion, and get ready for your next big orc fight.

Erik Mona was under the weather, so there was no Miniatures news on Friday. But we did get the three winners in the Cosplay Contest. Congratulations to Carly, Dustin, and Levi for their incredible costumes and their wins.

And that’s it, another week summed up. What did you think of the blog this week? Leave us a comment below.

At Gen Con, a bunch of the Venture-Officers realized something: if we played ourselves as characters in PFS, none of us would be ‘rules as written’ when it came to the maximum weight for humans, according to the Core Rules. We decided to do something about that, and created a contest for ourselves (Kurgess’ Challenge) to encourage us to get healthier. I’ll post details about the challenge later, but part of that is looking at ways to eat better; less junk and more substantial food.

I like to encourage my regular Thursday night group to eat less junk food, and to that end I often cook up a meal for us to enjoy before the game. Since we’re playing Pathfinder, I enjoy tricking out the dishes I cook to fit areas of Golarion. Things like this can really help to add an extra dimension to your game world, because the smells and tastes of cooking can evoke a very strong sense of place. If you are at all cooking inclined, I highly encourage you to give it a try at your next game night.

Since Qadira is the default Middle Eastern/North African area of the world I filed off the serial numbers of a Moroccan-inspired chicken recipe I had and renamed it ‘Qadiran Cockatrice’ to suit the setting. Since cockatrice is a rare specialty cut of meat in our world, I use chicken thighs instead. Spice-wise, I find the dish a low to moderate heat but you might not share my love of spicy foods; in that case cut the amounts of paprika and cayenne pepper in half and you should be fine.

Ingredients:

1 tray of chicken thighs, approx. 12-14 pieces.

Salt/pepper for seasoning, to taste

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups diced tomatoes, or one large can

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 zucchini, diced (optional)

1/2 a lemon, squeezed, or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Olive oil, or Argan oil (if available and you want to get authentic)

To Prepare:
1. Season chicken with salt/pepper and place in a large saucepan with the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, but don’t worry about cooking it through at this stage. Once browned, remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Without draining or reducing heat, saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the same pan, along with the ginger, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Cook until onions are soft, then mix in broth, dates, and tomatoes; return chicken to pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add chickpeas and zucchini to pan and bring to simmer once again; cover pan and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Check chicken to make sure it is cooked all the way through, if not, continue cooking until it is. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

This can be served as is, or serve with naan or pita bread for dipping and scooping. This makes enough for six people.

There you go, fast and delicious food to help your players be healthy and immerse them in the game world at the same time. Better than trying to convince them the Doritos are Dwarven…

Do you cook for your games? Have any recipes to share? Drop them in the comments!

Gather around, Pathfinders! Another week has passed on the Paizo Blog, and that means another summary. I hope you all find these summaries useful. I know I enjoy doing them, it helps me catch things I might have missed during the week.

John Compton got our Monday started with some important sanctioning news: the final volumes of the Mummy’s Mask Adventure Path are sanctioned for PFS play. If you’ve been waiting to complete your character’s ‘vacation’ in the Osirion desert, wait no longer. John also mentioned the other works still in progress, so check the post for the complete list.

Mark Moreland gave us a little taste of what waits beyond the grave on Tuesday, with his teaser post for Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Undead Unleashed! Released to subscribers already and available at the end of the month for everyone else, this is the book you need to instill a little terror back in your game. Looks like some longtime heavy hitters will be featured in the book, so this could be the start of many undead-themed campaigns. I, for one, welcome our new undead overlords…

Wednesday brought part two of Stephanie Lorée’s Armored. Since there is nothing I can tell you about this week’s installment which wouldn’t constitute a major spoiler, I will tell you simply to jump in and get reading. Like all the free fiction posted on the blog, it gives you a perfect little taste of Golarion, a good bit of flavour to add to your game.

On Friday we got a look at the digital sculpts for Iconic Heroes Two, set for release in February 2015. I’m eager to see how closely the actual sculpts and paints come to these, because the digital sculpts look dynamic and colorful. I’m oddly pleased to see Harsk’s badger animal companion, since it means I can retire the Celestial Badger figs I was using from a certain previous set of minis.

And that was the week, Pathfinders. Let us know in the comments what you found useful, what you’re looking forward to, or if you’re ‘meh’. Until next week, may TPKs happen to the other table.

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